DE19725964C1 - Fluid, biodegradable aqueous pearlescent concentrate used in surfactant formulation - Google Patents

Abstract

The invention relates to novel aqueous pearly lustre concentrates containing, in relation to the non-aqueous part: (a) 1-99.1 %wt. 12-hydroxystearic acid or its salts, and/or 12-hydroxy-stearyl alcohol, (b) 0.1-90 %wt. anionic, nonionic, cationic, ampholytic and/or zwitterionic emulsifiers, and (c) 0-40 %wt. polyols. The indicated quantities must be completed to 100 %wt.

Description

Field of the Invention

The invention relates to aqueous pearlescent concentrates containing selected hydroxyver bonds, emulsifiers and optionally polyols, a process for their preparation, another Process for the production of pearlescent surface-active preparations using of the concentrates and the use of the hydroxy compounds as pearlescent waxes.

State of the art

The soft, shimmering shine of pearls has been with man for millennia exercised special fascination. It is therefore no wonder that the manufacturers of cosmetic accessories reitungen try to give their products an attractive, valuable and substantial appearance to lend. The first pearlescent used in cosmetics since the Middle Ages was a pearlescent Paste from natural fish scales. At the beginning of this century it was discovered that bismuth oxide chlorides are also able to produce pearlescent sheen. Hinge for modern cosmetics pearlescent waxes, of particular importance of the type of glycol mono- and difatty acid esters, which are mainly used to create pearlescent shampoos and shower gels. An overview of modern, pearlescent formulations can be found by A. Ansmann and R. Kawa in perf. Cosm. 75, 578 (1994).

The prior art knows a variety of formulations, the surface active agents desired pearlescent. For example, from the two German patent applications DE 38 43 572 A1 and DE 41 03 551 A1 (Henkel) pearlescent concentrates in the form of flowable aqueous Dispersions known, the 15 to 40 wt .-% pearlescent components, 5 to 55 wt .-% Emul gators and 0.1 to 5 or 15 to 40 wt .-% polyols. The pearlescent waxes are are acylated polyalkylene glycols, monoalkanolamides, linear, saturated fatty acids or ketosul fone. In the two European patents EP 0181773 B1 and EP 0285389 B1 (Procter & Gamble) shampoo compositions are proposed, the surfactants, non-volatile silicones  and pearlescent waxes included. Subject of the European patent application EP 0205922 A2 (Henkel) are flowable pearlescent concentrates that contain 5 to 15% by weight of acylated polyglycols, 1 to 6% by weight. % Fatty acid monoethanolamides and 1 to 5 wt .-% nonionic emulsifiers. According to the Teaching of the European patent EP 0569843 B1 (Hoechst) can be non-ionic, flowable Pearlescent dispersions are also obtained by mixing mixtures of 5 to 30% by weight of acylated polygly colen and 0.1 to 20 wt .-% selected nonionic surfactants. From the European Patent application EP 0581193 (Hoechst) are also flowable, preservative-free pearls known gloss dispersions containing acylated polyglycol ethers, betaines, anionic surfactants and glycerol. Finally, the European patent application EP 0684302 A1 (Th. Goldschmidt) describes the use Formation of polyglycerol esters as crystallization aids for the production of pearlescent concentrates suggested.

Despite the multitude of funds, there is a constant need in the market for new pearlescent waxes, which, for example, in contrast to acylated polyglycols, have no ethylene oxide units and differs from the state-of-the-art products even when the quantity used is reduced have a brilliant shine, which includes the use of critical ingredients such as of silicones without affecting the stability of the formulations, at the same time Have ester groups so that sufficient biodegradability is guaranteed and in particular in a concentrated form, are still easy to move and can therefore be handled. The task The present invention has thus consisted of new pearlescent concentrates with the schil other complex requirement profile.

Description of the invention

The invention relates to aqueous pearlescent concentrates containing - based on the non-aqueous portion -

• (a) 1 to 99.1% by weight of 12-hydroxystearic acid or its salts and / or 12-hydroxystearyl alcohol and
• (b) 0.1 to 99% by weight of anionic, nonionic, cationic, ampholytic and / or zwitterionic Emulsifiers,

with the proviso that the quantities add up to 100% by weight.

Surprisingly, it was found that the hydroxy compounds mentioned are excellent have pearlescent properties and differ from the products of the prior art due to a higher brilliance with less use, special fine-particle structure and storage stability  award. The pearlescent waxes are easily biodegradable and, in a concentrated form, thin and also allow the incorporation of problematic ingredients such as silicones in cosmetic preparations.

Hydroxy compounds

12-hydroxystearic acid and 12-hydroxystearyl alcohol are known commercial products that usually by hardening, i. H. Saturation of the corresponding unsaturated homologues ricinol acid and ricinyl alcohol. The salts include the alkali and alkaline earth metal salts, named Lich the sodium, potassium, magnesium or calcium salts as well as the aluminum and zinc salts in Fra ge.

Emulsifiers

The pearlescent concentrates according to the invention can contain nonionic surfactants from at least one of the following groups as emulsifiers:

• (b1) adducts of 2 to 30 moles of ethylene oxide and / or 0 to 5 moles of propylene oxide with linear Fatty alcohols with 8 to 22 carbon atoms, with fatty acids with 12 to 22 carbon atoms, with alkylphenols with 8 to 15 carbon atoms in the alkyl group and on triglycerides;
• (b2) C _12/18 fatty acid _monoesters and diesters of adducts of 1 to 30 moles of ethylene oxide with glycerol;
• (b3) (b3) glycerol mono- and diesters and sorbitan mono- and diesters of saturated and unsaturated Fatty acids with 6 to 22 carbon atoms and their ethylene oxide addition products;
• (b4) Alkyl mono- and oligoglycosides with 8 to 22 carbon atoms in the alkyl radical and their ethoxy analogs;
• (b5) adducts of 15 to 60 moles of ethylene oxide with castor oil and / or hardened castor oil;
• (B6) polyol and especially polyglycerol esters such as. B. polyglycerol polyricinoleate or polyglyce rinpoly-12-hydroxystearate. Mixtures of compounds of several are also suitable of these substance classes;
• (b7) adducts of 2 to 15 moles of ethylene oxide with castor oil and / or hardened castor oil;
• (b8) _{partial esters} based on linear, branched, unsaturated or saturated C _12/22 fatty acids, ricinoleic acid and 12-hydroxystearic acid and glycerin, polyglycerin, pentaerythritol, dipentaerythritol, sugar alcohols (e.g. sorbitol) and polyglucosides (e.g. Cellulose);
• (b9) trialkyl phosphates;
• (b10) wool wax alcohols;  
• (b11) polysiloxane-polyalkyl-polyether copolymers or corresponding derivatives;
• (b12) mixed esters of pentaerythritol, fatty acids, citric acid and fatty alcohol according to DE-PS 11 65 574 as well
• (b13) polyalkylene glycols.

The adducts of ethylene oxide and / or of propylene oxide with fatty alcohols, fatty acids, alkylphenols, glycerol mono- and diesters as well as sorbitan mono- and diesters of fatty acids or with castor oil are known, commercially available products. These are homologous mixtures of which average degree of alkoxylation corresponds to the ratio of the amounts of ethylene oxide and / or propylene oxide and substrate with which the addition reaction is carried out. C _12/18 fatty acid _monoesters and diesters of adducts of ethylene oxide with glycerol are known from DE 20 24 051 C3 as refatting agents for cosmetic preparations.

C _8/18 alkyl mono- and oligoglycosides, their preparation and their use as surface-active substances are known from the literature. They are produced in particular by reacting glucose or oligosaccharides with primary alcohols with 8 to 18 carbon atoms. With regard to the glycoside residue, both monoglycosides in which a cyclic sugar residue is glycosidically bonded to the fatty alcohol and oligomeric glycosides with a degree of oligomerization of up to preferably about 8 are suitable. The degree of oligomerization is a statistical mean value which is based on a homolog distribution customary for such technical products.

Zwitterionic surfactants can also be used as emulsifiers. Zwitterionic surfactants are surface-active compounds that contain at least one quaternary ammonium group and at least one carboxylate and one sulfonate group in the molecule. Particularly suitable zwitterionic surfactants are the so-called betaines such as the N-alkyl-N, N-dimethylammonium glycinate, for example coconut alkyldimethylammonium glycinate, N-acylamino propyl-N, N-dimethylammonium glycinate, for example coconut acylaminopropyldimethylammonium glycinate, and 2-alkylethyl-3-carboxylate 3-hydroxyethylimidazolines each having 8 to 18 carbon atoms in the alkyl or acyl group and the cocoacylaminoethylhydroxyethylcarboxymethylglycinate. The fatty acid amide derivative known under the CTFA name Cocamidopropyl Betaine is particularly preferred. Suitable emulsifiers are ampholytic surfactants. Ampholytic surfactants are surface-active compounds which, in addition to a C _8/18 alkyl or acyl group, contain at least one free amino group and at least one -COOH or -SO ₃ H group in the molecule and are capable of forming internal salts . Examples of suitable ampholytic surfactants are N-alkylglycine, N-alkylpropionic acid, N-alkylaminobutyric acid, N-alkyliminodipropionic acid, N-hydroxyethyl-N-alkylamidopropylglycine, N-alkyltaurine, N-alkyl sarcosine, 2-alkyl aminopropionic acid and alkyl amino acetic acid each with about 8 up to 18 carbon atoms in the alkyl group. Particularly preferred ampholytic surfactants are N-cocoalkylaminopropionate, cocoacylaminoethylaminopropionate and C _12/18 acylsarcosine. In addition to the ampholytic emulsifiers, quaternary emulsifiers are also suitable, those of the esterquat type, preferably methyl-quaternized difatty acid triethanolamine ester salts, being particularly preferred.

The pearlescent concentrates according to the invention can contain the emulsifiers in amounts from 0.1 to 99. preferably contain 5 to 50 and in particular 10 to 40 wt .-%.

Polyols

The preparations may also contain polyols as optional component (c). Polyols which are suitable for the purposes of the invention preferably have 2 to 15 carbon atoms and at least two hydroxyl groups. Typical examples are

• - glycerin;
• Alkylene glycols such as, for example, ethylene glycol, diethylene glycol, propylene glycol, butylene glycol, Hexylene glycol and polyethylene glycols with an average molecular weight of 100 to 1,000 daltons;
• - Technical oligoglycerol mixtures with a degree of self-condensation of 1.5 to 10 such as technical diglycerol mixtures with a diglycerol content of 40 to 50% by weight;
• Methyl compounds, such as in particular trimethylolethane, trimethylolpropane, trimethylolbutane, Pentaerythritol and dipentaerythritol;
• - Lower alkyl glucosides, especially those with 1 to 8 carbons in the alkyl radical such as wise methyl and butyl glucoside;
• Sugar alcohols with 5 to 12 carbon atoms, such as sorbitol or mannitol,
• - Sugar with 5 to 12 carbon atoms such as glucose or sucrose;
• - aminosugars such as glucamine.

The pearlescent concentrates according to the invention can be the polyols, preferably glycerol, propylene glycol, butylene glycol, hexylene glycol and polyethylene glycols with an average molecular weight weight in the range of 100 to 1.0000 in amounts of 0.1 to 40, preferably 0.5 to 15 and ins contain particular 1 to 5 wt .-%.

Manufacturing process

In a preferred embodiment, which is also the subject of the invention, the Preparation of the pearlescent concentrates by using a mixture of components (a), (b) and  optionally (c) produces, heated to a temperature which is 1 to 30 ° C above the melting point tes the mixture, mixes with the required amount of water at about the same temperature and then cools to room temperature. It is also possible to use a concentrated aqueous (anion) Submit surfactant paste, stir in the pearlescent wax in the heat and mix then dilute with more water to the desired concentration or mix in the presence of polymeric hydrophilic thickeners such as hydroxypropyl celluloses, xanthan Perform gum or carbomer type polymers.

Industrial applicability

The pearlescent concentrates according to the invention are suitable for setting a haze in upper surface-active preparations such as hair shampoos or manual dishwashing detergents. Another object of the invention therefore relates to a method for producing cloudy and pearlescent liquid, aqueous preparations of water-soluble surfactants, in which the clear aqueous preparations at 0 to 40 ° C, the pearlescent concentrates in an amount of 0.5 to 40, preferably 1 to 20% by weight of the preparation is added and distributed therein with stirring.

Surfactants

The surface-active preparations, which usually have a non-aqueous content in the range from 1 up to 50 and preferably 5 to 35 wt .-%, can be nonionic, anionic, cationic and / or contain amphoteric or amphoteric surfactants, the proportion of which is usually at the agents is about 50 to 99 and preferably 70 to 90% by weight. Typical examples of anionic Surfactants are soaps, alkyl benzene sulfonates, alkane sulfonates, olefin sulfonates, alkyl ether sulfonates, Gly cerine ether sulfonates, α-methyl ester sulfonates, sulfo fatty acids, alkyl sulfates, fatty alcohol ether sulfates, Gly cerine ether sulfates, hydroxy mixed ether sulfates, monoglyceride (ether) sulfates, fatty acid amide (ether) sulfates, Mono- and dialkyl sulfosuccinates, mono- and dialkyl sulfosuccinamates, sulfotriglycerides, amide soaps, Ether carboxylic acids and their salts, fatty acid isethionates, fatty acid sarcosinates, fatty acid taurides, N- Acylamino acids such as acyl lactylates, acyl tartrates, acyl glutamates and acyl aspartates, Al kyloligoglucoside sulfates, protein fatty acid condensates (especially vegetable products on wheat base) and alkyl (ether) phosphates. If the anionic surfactants contain polyglycol ether chains, these can have a conventional, but preferably a narrowed homolog distribution point. Typical examples of nonionic surfactants are fatty alcohol polyglycol ethers, alkylphenol polyglycol ether, fatty acid polyglycol ester, fatty acid amide polyglycol ether, fatty amine polyglycol ether, alk oxylated triglycerides, mixed ethers or mixed formals, alk (en) yl oligoglycosides, fatty acid N-alkylgluca mide, protein hydrolyzates (especially vegetable products based on wheat), polyol fatty acid esters,  Sugar esters, sorbitan esters, polysorbates and amine oxides. If the non-ionic surfactants polyglycol contain ether chains, these can be a conventional, but preferably a narrowed homo have lye distribution. Typical examples of cationic surfactants are quaternary ammonium compounds and ester quats, especially quaternized fatty acid trialkanolamine ester salts. Typical Examples of amphoteric or zwitterionic surfactants are alkylbetaines, alkylamidobetaines, amino propionates, aminoglycinates, imidazolinium betaines and sulfobetaines. With the surfactants mentioned han it is only known connections. With regard to the structure and manufacture of these Relevant review articles include J. Falbe (ed.), "Surfactants in Consu mer Products ", Springer Verlag, Berlin, 1987, pp. 54-124 or J. Falbe (ed.)," catalysts, tensi de and mineral oil additives ", Thieme Verlag, Stuttgart, 1978, pp. 123-217. The same Ten side can also be used directly for the production of pearlescent concentrates, the anioni Some surfactants are also suitable as emulsifiers. In this context, the use of alkyl ether sulfates preferred as anionic emulsifiers.

Auxiliaries and additives

The surface-active preparations to which the pearlescent concentrates according to the invention have been added can contain other auxiliaries and additives such as oil bodies, others Pearlescent waxes, superfatting agents, stabilizers, waxes, consistency agents, thickeners, cat ion polymers, silicone compounds, biogenic agents, antidandruff agents, film formers, preserves agents, hydrotropes, solubilizers, UV adsorbers, colors and fragrances.

Guerbet alcohols based on fatty alcohols having 6 to 18, preferably 8 to 10 carbon atoms, esters of linear C ₆ -C ₂₀ fatty acids with linear C ₆ -C ₂₀ fatty alcohols, esters of branched C ₆ -C ₁₃ carboxylic acids are, for example, oil bodies with linear C ₆ -C ₂₀ fatty alcohols, esters of linear C ₆ -C ₁₈ fatty acids with branched alcohols, especially 2-ethylhexanol, esters of linear and / or branched fatty acids with polyhydric alcohols (such as dimer diol or tri mertriol ) and / or Guerbet alcohols, triglycerides based on C ₆ -C ₁₀ fatty acids, vegetable oils, ver branched primary alcohols, substituted cyclohexanes, Guerbet carbonates, dialkyl ethers and / or aliphatic or naphthenic hydrocarbons.

Examples of further pearlescent waxes are: alkylene glycol esters, especially ethylene glycol distearate; Fatty acid alkanolamides, especially coconut fatty acid diethanolamide; Partial glycerides, especially Stearic acid monoglyceride; Esters of polyvalent, optionally hydroxy-substituted carboxylic acid ren with fatty alcohols with 6 to 22 carbon atoms, especially long-chain esters of tartaric acid; Fat substances such as fatty alcohols, fatty ketones, fatty aldehydes, fatty ethers and fatty carbonates, which in Have a total of at least 24 carbon atoms, especially lauron and distearyl ether; Ring  Opening products of olefin epoxides with 12 to 22 carbon atoms with fatty alcohols with 12 to 22 Carbon atoms and / or polyols having 2 to 15 carbon atoms and 2 to 10 hydroxyl groups; as well as their mixtures.

Substances such as lanolin and lecithin as well as polyethoxylated or acylated lanolin and lecithin derivatives, polyol fatty acid esters, monoglycerides and Fatty acid alkanolamides are used, the latter at the same time as foam stabilizers to serve. The main consistency agents are fatty alcohols with 12 to 22 and preferably 16 up to 18 carbon atoms. A combination of these substances with alkyl oligo is preferred glucosides and / or fatty acid N-methylglucamides of the same chain length and / or polyglycerol poly-12- hydroxystearates. Suitable thickeners are, for example, polysaccharides, in particular Xanthan gum, guar guar, agar agar, alginates and tyloses, carboxymethyl cellulose and hydroxy ethyl cellulose, also higher molecular weight polyethylene glycol monoesters and diesters of fatty acids, polyacrylics latex, polyvinyl alcohol and polyvinyl pyrrolidone, surfactants such as ethoxylated fatty acid gly cerides, esters of fatty acids with polyols such as pentaerythritol or trimethylolpropane, Fatty alcohol ethoxylates with a narrow homolog distribution or alkyl oligoglucosides as well as electrolytes like table salt and ammonium chloride.

Suitable cationic polymers are, for example, cationic cellulose derivatives, cationic Starch, copolymers of diallylammonium salts and acrylamides, quaternized vinyl pyrrolidone ninyl imidazole polymers such as B. Luviquat® (BASF AG, Ludwigshafen / FRG), condensation products from Polyglycols and amines, quaternized collagen polypeptides such as lauryldimonium hydroxypropyl hydrolyzed collagen (Lamequat®L, Grünau GmbH), quaternized wheat polypeptides, Polyethyleneimine, cationic silicone polymers such as B. Amidomethicone or Dow Corning, Dow Cor ning Co./US, copolymers of adipic acid and dimethylaminohydroxypropyldiethylenetrimamine (Cartaretine®, Sandoz / CH), polyaminopolyamides such as B. described in FR 22 52 840 A1 and their crosslinked water-soluble polymers, cationic chitin derivatives such as quaternized Chitosan, optionally microcrystalline, condensation products from dihaloalkylene such. B. Dibromobutane with bisdialkylamines such as. B. bis-dimethylamino-1,3-propane, cationic guar gum such as e.g. B. Jaguar® CBS, Jaguar® C-17, Jaguar® C-16 from Celanese / US, quaternized ammonium salt Polymers such as B. Mirapol® A-15, Mirapol® AD-1, Mirapol® AZ-1 from Miranol / US.

Suitable silicone compounds are, for example, dimethylpolysiloxanes, methylphenylpolysiloxanes, Cyclic silicones as well as amino, fatty acid, alcohol, polyether, epoxy, fluorine and / or alkyl modified Silicone compounds that can be both liquid and resinous at room temperature. Typical examples of fats are glycerides. a. Beeswax, paraffin wax or micro waxes optionally in combination with hydrophilic waxes, e.g. B. Cetylstearyl alcohol in Question. Metal salts of fatty acids such as. B. magnesium, aluminum  and / or zinc stearate can be used. Examples of biogenic active substances are bisabolol, To understand allantoin, phytantriol, panthenol, AHA acids, plant extracts and vitamin complexes. Climbazole, octopirox and zinc pyrethione can be used as antidandruff agents. Ge Common film formers are, for example, chitosan, microcrystalline chitosan, quaternized Chitosan, polyvinylpyrrolidone, vinylpyrrolidone-vinyl acetate copolymers, polymers of acrylic acid series, quaternary cellulose derivatives, collagen, hyaluronic acid or its salts and the like Links. To improve the flow behavior, hydrotropes such as Ethanol, isopropyl alcohol, propylene glycol or glucose can be used. As a preservative phenoxyethanol, formaldehyde solution, parabens, pentanediol or sorbine are suitable, for example acid. Suitable dyes are those which are suitable and approved for cosmetic purposes are used, such as those in the publication "Cosmetic Colorants" of the color material commission of the German Research Foundation, Verlag Chemie, Weinheim, 1984, Pp. 81-106 are compiled. These dyes are usually used in concentrations of 0.001 up to 0.1 wt .-%, based on the total mixture used.

The total proportion of auxiliaries and additives can be 1 to 50, preferably 5 to 40% by weight on the middle - amount. The agents can be produced by customary cold or hot processes respectively; the phase inversion temperature method is preferably used.

A final object of the invention finally relates to the use of 12-hydroxystearic acid or their salts and / or 12-hydroxystearyl alcohol as pearlescent waxes for the preparation of surface-active preparations exercises.  

Examples

The pearlescent concentrates 1 to 6 according to the invention and the comparative mixtures V1 and V2 were stored for 14 days at 40 ° C. and the viscosity according to the Brookfield method in an RVT Viscometer (23 ° C, 10 rpm, spindle 5) determined. Then aqueous hair shampoo formulations prepared by mixing the ingredients at 20 ° C, each 2 g of pearlescent concentrates, 15 g coconut fatty alcohol + 2EO sulfate sodium salt, 3 g dimethylpolysiloxane, 5 g coconut alkyl lucoside and 1.5 g of an ester quat (water ad 100 wt .-%) contained. The fineness of the pearlescent Crystals in the hair shampoos were visually observed under the microscope on a scale of 1 = very fine Crystals up to 5 = rough crystals assessed. The pearlescent was also assessed on a Scale from 1 = brilliant to 5 = blunt; the turbidity was determined visually and with (+) = cloudy or (-) = assessed without turbidity. The compositions and results are summarized in Table 1; all quantities are understood as% by weight

Table 1

Composition and performance of pearlescent concentrates

Claims (7)

1. Aqueous pearlescent concentrates containing - based on the non-aqueous portion -

• a) 1 to 99, 9 wt .-% 12-hydroxystearic acid or its salts and / or 12-hydroxystearyl alcohol and
• b) 0.1 to 99% by weight of anionic, nonionic, cationic, ampholytic and / or zwitter ionic emulsifiers,

with the proviso that the quantities add up to 100% by weight. 2. Pearlescent concentrates according to claim 1, characterized in that they contain as component (b) emulsifiers which are selected from the group formed by:

• 1. Addition products of 2 to 30 moles of ethylene oxide and / or 0 to 5 moles of propylene oxide with linear fatty alcohols with 8 to 22 carbon atoms, with fatty acids with 12 to 22 carbon atoms, with alkylphenols with 8 to 15 carbon atoms in the alkyl group and on triglycerides;
• 2. C _12/18 fatty acid _monoesters and diesters of adducts of 1 to 30 moles of ethylene oxide with glycerol;
• 3. glycerol monoesters and diesters and sorbitan monoesters and diesters of saturated and unsaturated fatty acids having 6 to 22 carbon atoms and their ethylene oxide addition products;
• 4. alkyl mono- and oligoglycosides with 8 to 22 carbon atoms in the alkyl radical and their ethoxylated analogs;
• 5. Addition products of 15 to 60 moles of ethylene oxide with castor oil and / or hardened castor oil;
• 6. polyol esters;
• 7. Addition products of 2 to 15 moles of ethylene oxide with castor oil and / or hardened castor oil;
• 8. _partial esters based on linear, branched, unsaturated or saturated C _12/22 fatty acids, ricinoleic acid and 12-hydroxystearic acid and glycerol, polyglycerol, pentaerythritol, dipentaerythritol, sugar alcohols and polyglucosides;
• 9. trialkyl phosphates;
• 10. wool wax alcohols;
• 11. Polysiloxane-polyalkyl-polyether copolymers or corresponding derivatives;
• 12. Mixed esters of pentaerythritol, fatty acids, citric acid and fatty alcohols;
• 13. Polyalkylene glycols.

3. pearlescent concentrates according to claims 1 or 2, characterized in that they as Kom Component (b) contain emulsifiers of the alkyl ether sulfate type. 4. pearlescent concentrates according to claims 1 to 3, characterized in that they continue contain as component (c) 0.1 to 40% by weight of polyols which are selected from the group consisting of is formed by glycerin, 1,2-propylene glycol, butylene glycol, hexylene glycol and / or Polyethylene glycols with an average molecular weight in the range of 100 to 1,000 Dalton. 5. A method for producing pearlescent concentrates according to claim 1, characterized in net that one produces a mixture of components (a), (b) and optionally (c) heated to a temperature which is 1 to 30 ° C above the melting point of the mixture with mix the required amount of water at about the same temperature and then on Cools down to room temperature. 6. Process for the preparation of cloudy and pearlescent liquid, aqueous preparations water-soluble surfactants, in which the clear aqueous preparations at 0 to 40 ° C pearlescent concentrates according to Claims 1 to 5 in an amount of 0.5 to 40% by weight added to the preparation and distributed therein with stirring. 7. Use of 12-hydroxystearic acid or its salts and / or 12-hydroxystearyl alcohol as Pearlescent waxes for the production of surface-active preparations.